Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Ros, what is a three tier system, please? Does that mean that the children are streamed according to ability?
The one thing I noticed at the school we visited was that the slower learner was catered for quite adequately (an assistant teacher / volunteer would sit with the child in class, or he's be sitting outside the classroom being 'taught' individually); the middle of the road children were okay; but if there should be a brighter than average infant amongst them, then Heaven help him/ her, because there was no provision within the system for dealing with such a child. The point was raised whilst touring the buildings and overseeing the children's lessons, but the answer was in the negative.

Three tier system is an infant school (up to 7, I think) then a middle school and then a senior school.
I don't know what there is for brighter children- my son's primary school used the Nuffield Maths system whereby each child learned at his/her own pace from cards. If they needed help, they asked the teacher but otherwise they worked through the cards on different areas of maths at their own pace. As it was a small school with children aged 5-7 in one class, it wasn't so obvious who was slow. I thought it was brilliant. At this stage I helped in the school with maths and reading. Good heavens, fancy allowing an untrained mum into the classroom. Whatever next?

Oh, I see... not what I'd thought it meant then. Thank you for explaining.
It will be interesting to see how we fare at the other schools we have to go and visit in due course. As the Curriculum seems to be the same across the board, the only thing to hope for is individual variation in the teaching ability.
it must be such a headache for present day parents.

Going back to Rodalind's comment about 'untrained mum being allowed in classroom' ; when the local college heard that I gave private English lessons to youngsters (most stages but particularly building up to the baccalaureat), someone from the school approached me to see if I would be interested in helping out on a once a week basis for each class, particularly for conversaton but also to give some extra support in between their normal teaching hours.

I almost said 'Yes' because it interested me; but I was told that I would not be allowed to say one word in French during all the time of the lesson, I then declined the offer because I knew I could not do a good job. It is just the opposite to my way of teaching

I cannot see how you can explain to a student where he has gone wrong in an exercise and why, if you speak to him in a language that he barely understands in the first place ! A comparison approach with one's own mother tongue is necessary in the early stages at least. I am all for conversation lessons using the foreign language only, but not when it comes to explaining grammar rules etc.

If there is one subject on which by heart must be applied, it certainly is with your Irregular Verbs - they are numerous and most of them are very common verbs, used in almost every sentence; only a parrot fashion learning will help memorise those for little rule can explain why the ED ending in past tense does not always apply

ie
Speak, spoke, spoken but talk, talked, talked

Anyway, all this to say they were willing to allow an non professional person, not even a Mum, into the college.

Changing the subject totally:

I bought myself a piece of smoked haddock yesterday; now, I know I like it but have only eaten it when it was prepared for me (B&B, family, friends etc )

Any (simple) idea for preparing it please ?

Rusty, if you read this, I am sure you would know what to do !

Skallagrigg
Thanks for recommending it, rosalind. I'm not sure that I would say that I enjoyed it - in fact, I don't think enjoyment is a relevant word here - but I'm very glad that I read it. Overall it is very life-affirming.

My dislike of loose ends makes me regret that Martin didn't tell everyone who he was at the end.

I found Arthur's story distressing almost all the time, but of course you're meant to. The author spent many hours researching the "treatment" given to those in mental hospitals and none of what he writes is exaggerated. The descriptions on the first page make you sad and angry all at once. His eldest daughter has cerebral palsy.

Is not Martin Arthur's grandson? Telling the story?

What I wanted more about was Esther's marriage. I think William has an amazing ability when writing about love.

Hi again,

I haven't read Skallagrig, but might do so in the not too distant future, if I can find it on Amazon - which I'm sure I can.

What I have read though is Christie Brown's most famous novel written with his foot (he could paint with his foot too); I read it in French and the translation of the French title would be 'He who watch the days go by' - I think the English title is Down All The Days.

I remember that the book made quite an impressionon me, emotions of course but also admiration - it made me wonder how I would react if faced with a similar situation. The sadness factor was nowhere near what you describe re Stallarigg, mostly because it was not a parent watching his child suffer from that illness.

I also read Under The Eye Of The Clock by Christopher Nolan (in English) and was very impressed by it too; but I seem to remembe there was a bit of controversy as to whether it was really Christopher who wrote the book, or his mother.

Pigale
re smoked haddock
My mother used to poach it in milk, a small amount of butter and salt in a covered frying pan (though an ordinary pan would be fine) for a few minutes. 10 at most.

After that you can flake it and make fish cakes with mashed potato, if you can be bothered!

I'm afraid I haven't seen My Left Foot, though I have heard about it.

yes, martin was arthur's grandson, but decides not to say this